Letter: Planned Parenthood essential to LI

Ultrasound 3D. Photo Credit: iStock

The attacks on Planned Parenthood have hit a new low ["A goal for both sides on abortion," Opinion, Aug. 12].

Spurred on by deceptive, dishonest videos released by anti-abortion activists over the past weeks, extremists have hacked into the Planned Parenthood website, blocking thousands from getting the health care information they need. More than 200,000 people visit Planned Parenthood websites each day for important information about reproductive and sexual health care, including where to find a local health center for breast and cervical cancer screenings or birth control.

Our opposition in Congress has wasted no time in attacking Planned Parenthood, either. Already, politicians have begun to use this video campaign to justify legislation to defund Planned Parenthood, which would cut off essential, lifesaving reproductive and family planning health care and information to more than 80,000 women, men and teens a year on Long Island.

Planned Parenthood is the most trusted women's health care provider in this country, and nothing is more important than the health and safety of our patients. The tens of thousands of people in our communities who depend on us for high-quality, low-cost reproductive health care and medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education should never be deprived of the services and programs Planned Parenthood provides.

JoAnn D. Smith and Reina Schiffrin

Editor's note: The writers are the chief executives of Planned Parenthood of Nassau County and Planned Parenthood of Hudson Peconic, respectively.